Episode 483 – The Nerd Rage Episode

We need to have a talk. Why do nerds always react so negatively to new things? Why are they always so against new people liking the things they like? Why is it that they always seem like horribly entitled jerks? The dorks are looking to answer all these questions if we can.

Just to show that we’re human too, we’re starting off with many examples of times we’ve had nerd rage of our own. Then we’ll spend a long time discussing the stereotypical nerd and some theories about why nerd rage is a thing. Let us know if you have any theories, any comments, or any delicious nerd rage!

8 Comments

I think one of the aspects that people have a hard time understanding is when they are actually “Nerd Raging” and not expressing their opinions in an amicable way. Also, as a personal example, I have played a home brew Mardu Land Destruction deck in Modern for a while, and even in casual talking with players the automatic response that I get once people learn what I built is “wow you’re an a**hole”. How is the way I decide to play the game that the creators allow me to play any kind of reflection of me being a good or bad person? Stuff like that always sticks out to me as an example of how we allow casual snark and negativity to get in the way of interacting well with others when we play games. Thanks for hearing me “Nerd Rage” on others “Nerd Rage”. (Also I play the deck I do because blue control is a bag of whale c$&#s. )

We’re going on 2+ years of standard formats that range from at best mediocre, to “oh god, why is everything on fire?” Culminating in 3 separate bannings. I don’t think it’s all that unreasonable to wonder is WotC’s current extreme new player-friendly focus is having some adverse affects for the rest of us.

If I recall correctly, it’s rare that I actually nerd rage. I usually more just nerd I’m-not-mad-I’m-just-disappointed.

Most recently (since it’s topical) was the Merfolk vs Goblin Duel Decks and the fact that theRE’S NO LORD OF ATLANTIS REPRINT! Part of was because I just want new art, or at least a black-bordered version of Greg Staples’ 7th ed art. The big reason though is that there is no correct printing of the card.

I, for one, dislike the new logo. I’ve never said it was ruining magic. And you’d have to have a very twisted view on reality you claim I’m opposed to a more diverse player base. I’m a transgender woman and i now the audience needs lots more different ppl than who currently play. I personally voiced my distaste for the design. I’m under no false idea that my tiny opinion matters, but i still had a valid point on it. You don’t have to agree, but you’ve pushed a single idea of what ppl voicing opinions are thinking, and its far from the on my thing ppl think. I feel that was a bit unfair on your part.

as for streamer boy, streamers have become a huge force for games. they are advertising that costs the company no money. they get listened to for that reason alone. it’s very likely he was trying to get his opinion heard now before things are set. is he a self- important jerk? maybe. is he using his platform to try to make things how he’d like? just as much as you are trying influence the way ppl act.

It’s possibly just because I’ve listened to so much of them lately that I’m filling in extra words in their arguments, but the impression I got from them when they were talking about the logo design is not that if you didn’t like it you were dumb, but that the more extreme dissents against it were dumb (‘this is the worst design ever’, ‘Magic is boring now,’ etc). Again, maybe I’m just putting words in their mouth, but I don’t think they were trying to say that simply disliking it and saying so was a case of mockable nerd rage.

TL;DR, I think they were just focusing on the more zealous cases of nerd ragers, which is not what it sounds like you fall in to – though maybe they missed the mark on making that clear.